KUWAIT CITY, Feb 5: The Court of Appeal - First Criminal Circuit, presided over by Counselor Hani Al-Hamdan and comprising Counselors Mohammed Ghazi Al-Mutairi and Hamouda Nassar, has overturned a previous conviction and acquitted a man accused of stealing his wife's phone and belongings through violence and assault. The lower court had initially sentenced him in absentia to four years of hard labor and ordered his deportation after serving his sentence.

According to the wife’s testimony during the investigation, the incident occurred around 2 p.m. at her university. She alleged that her husband forcibly pulled her toward the exit stairs, dragged her to the fourth floor, and threatened her with a knife to prevent her from calling for help before stealing her belongings.

However, when questioned by the Public Prosecution, the accused denied the allegations. He claimed his wife had called him to the university to discuss their marital issues. Upon meeting, she allegedly asked him to accompany her to the internal stairs to avoid being seen by her friends. She then handed him her belongings before going to the bathroom. Still, after she failed to return for an extended period, he informed college security, who advised him to place her belongings in her vehicle. He complied, leaving the car open with the items inside. Over a month later, he was summoned for questioning, at which point he directed investigators to the victim’s car, which had remained parked and unlocked in the college parking lot since the incident, with her belongings still inside.

During the appeal, defense lawyer Bashar Al-Nassar argued that the initial ruling was flawed, lacked solid investigative grounds, and conflicted with the victim’s statements. He pointed out inconsistencies, questioning why no one had noticed the alleged attack if she had called for help and why she had left her car untouched for nearly 40 days without attempting to retrieve her belongings. The Court of Appeal ultimately ruled in favor of the defendant, finding the claims unreasonable and dismissing the four-year prison sentence, acquitting him of all charges.